​School District No. 43 (Coquitlam) is proposing to eliminate teacher layoffs for the coming school year.

SD43’s Board of Education and District Leadership Team have discussed a proposal to reduce or eliminate the teacher layoff / recall process within the limitations of each year’s budget framework.

The District Leadership Team initiated a review of the teacher layoff / recall process and, working with input from the Coquitlam Teachers’ Association and school administrators, has streamlined processes and made incremental positive changes towards eliminating the need to lay off teachers. Supported by members of the Human Resources and Finance teams, this vision may turn into reality.

Most significant is the recent Ministry of Education/BCPSEA/BCTF Memorandum of Agreement resulting in enhanced funding to meet collective agreement requirements. This should also help remove the need to lay off teachers for the coming school year.

“Two of our Directions 2020 strategic goals are Fostering a Sustainable Educational Organization and Achieving Student Success, and by eliminating the need to lay off teachers this year we would be following our vision to help meet those two goals,” stated Kerri Palmer Isaak, Chair, Board of Education of SD43. Ms. Palmer Isaak also thanked the management team, HR and Finance staff for their significant efforts in trying to achieve this.

“This decision would help bring further stability to the 2017-2018 teacher staffing process and help retain the high quality teachers we have recently hired and additional teachers we plan to hire under the new Ministry/BCTF MOA,” added Patricia Gartland, Superintendent of SD43. Ms. Gartland further emphasized the importance of how this would support classroom stability and student learning.